What is the correct way to beat Facebook’s New Algorithm:

Recognize this quiz for what it is: a way to create meaningful interaction.

If you picked #4, you didn’t win a yacht, but you did prove you have a fairly good idea of the challenge and at least one potential solution to Facebook’s new algorithm.

To recap the news from that giant company out in Menlo Park, California, an overhaul of the News Feed took place earlier this year.

According to Facebook itself they now “prioritize posts that spark conversations and meaningful interactions between people…and posts from friends and family over public content.”

Mark Zuckerberg himself added “We built Facebook to help people stay connected and bring us closer together with the people that matter to us. That’s why we’ve always put friends and family at the core of the experience.”

If you really want to read between the lines, what Facebook is saying is that they feel there’s too much selling/spamming/retailing going on, and people aren’t enjoying their time on Facebook. One can’t blame them, after all marketing is at its worst when it’s horribly intrusive. Unless you enjoy their campiness, no one is a fan of the hard sell announcer yelling at them to ‘hurry in, hurry in, hurry in’ like a monster truck announcer.

So, if you’re a marketer and Facebook is one of your core tools, what can you do?

Below are a few quick tips on how to avoid getting filtered by Facebook’s new algorithm:

Share great content. It goes without saying that this should have been your #1 priority anyway. But now, if you know the post you’re about to share is mediocre, or even a little boring, don’t bother. No one will notice it.

Encourage meaningful interactions. The little quiz this post started off with was meant to just that. It challenged the reader, gave them an opportunity to participate, and hopefully made them chuckle a little bit.

Spark conversations. Social media is just like a big party. Imagine yourself walking around, a cocktail in hand, striking up a conversation. How do you do it? Start blathering about your latest product? Of course not. You ask a question. Express interest. Get them to talk about themselves.

Consider Facebook Live. While video isn’t a great way to encourage interaction, the Facebook Live feature is. If you haven’t tried it, it’s very easy and you can have fun doing it.

Facebook ads. The new algorithm doesn’t apply to Facebook advertising. So consider making greater use of them.

Incorporate Instagram. Instagram is owned by Facebook, and they’ve made it very easy to add Instagram to all of your Facebook communication. It’s a quick, efficient and cost-effective way to drive more interaction.

Reply. Reply to everyone even if they haven’t asked a question. And do it as quickly as possible. Facebook grades you on your response time. Make sure you pass with flying colors.

Don’t be afraid to boost. Show Facebook you’re serious about exposure and engagement by boosting your post. You can fine tune your audience and craft a strategy to defeat that nasty new algorithm.